Wisconsin’s College Football Playoff hopes were dealt a major blow last week after an upset loss to BYU at home. Another lapse in Week 4 — this time against Iowa in Iowa City — could bury the Badgers’ aspirations altogether.
Wisconsin vs. Iowa live stream: Time, TV channel, pick/prediction, and how to watch online
The Badgers need to bounce back. The Hawkeyes need to make a statement.
Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
The Badgers never got out of first gear against the Cougars, struggling in all phases of their offense and putting up just 21 points at home. It was a disappointing misstep for a team that began the year ranked in the top five, but it won’t affect their Big Ten championship hopes. A loss Saturday could.
The Hawkeyes are off to a 3-0 start with a solid El Assico! win under their belts, but could use a statement victory against UW to vault them into the top 25. Beating Wisconsin would give Iowa the early edge in the Big Ten West, especially with teams like Nebraska, Northwestern, and Purdue already saddled with losing records. But that’s a tall task — especially when the Badgers have a player who could wind up 2018’s Heisman Trophy winner ready to strike.
Time, TV channel, and streaming info
- Time: 8:30 p.m. ET
- Location: Kinnick Stadium, Iowa City, IA
- TV: FOX
- Streaming: FOX Sports Go, fuboTV
- Odds: Wisconsin is favored by 3 points.
Wisconsin vs. Iowa news:
- Nate Stanley is coming off a 300-yard passing game. That’s good! It came against FCS Northern Iowa in a down year, however, which is a little ...less exciting.
- The Badger defense could be without a key cog in its machine if linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel can’t play vs. Iowa.
- Last week’s performance was more proof Noah Fant is capable of carrying the Hawkeye offense.
- If the Hawkeyes are going to open up the UW defense, it’s going to be through big plays.
Can Jonathan Taylor be Wisconsin’s first Heisman winner since Ron Dayne?
Taylor tore up New Mexico for 253 yards and three touchdowns in Week 2, then was held out of the end zone last week as the Badgers suffered an upset loss to BYU — and at Camp Randall Stadium, no less. He’ll face an Iowa defense that’s allowed a relatively stingy 4.1 yards per rush this fall, but the best tailback they’ve seen so far this year may have been Iowa State’s David Montgomery, who has been entirely underwhelming in 2018.
Taylor will put the Hawkeyes to the test, and a big performance in his first game against Power 5 competition in 2018 could be the key to boosting him back into the Heisman conversation.
Wisconsin vs. Iowa prediction:
The Badgers got rocked last week, but remain a more talented team, top to bottom, than the Hawkeyes. But Iowa gets to host this one, and the fans at Kinnick are no joke. S&P+ sees this one as an eight-point win for an underdog Wisconsin team.
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